Explore every episode of the podcast Stories Lived. Stories Told.
| Title | Pub. Date | Duration | |
|---|---|---|---|
| On Reflexivity with Abbie VanMeter | Ep. 153 | 24 Dec 2025 | 00:12:49 | |
What have you learned in 2025? ... Today, Abbie offers one last, short episode for Season 4. In it, she explores her own reflections on the past year and hopes for the coming year. She invites listeners to join the conversation however they can- emailing storieslived.storiestold@gmail.com, commenting on YouTube, subscribing and following the CMMi Substack, and joining the CMM LinkedIn Group. ... Stories Lived. Stories Told. is created, produced & hosted by Abbie VanMeter. | |||
| On Unlearning Ableism with Jamie Shields and Celia Chartres-Aris | Ep. 152 | 10 Dec 2025 | 01:06:15 | |
How can you be proactive in your inclusivity? ... Today, Abbie, Jamie, and Celia explore disability through the lens of a communication perspective, talking about transforming exclusion into inclusion in every space, changing narratives to focus on "the problem" as an inaccessible society rather than any one disabled individual, unlearning our internalized ableism as a necessary step for all of us, becoming proactive rather than reactive in our inclusive accessibility practices, and creating space for more stories that acknowledge both the systemic nature of ableism with the individual experiences of disability. ... Jamie Shields is a multi-award-winning Disability, Speaker, Trainer and Consultant, Content Creator and Disability Advocate, Registered Blind AuDHD Rhino, the UK’s 2nd most influential grassroots Disability advocate. Celia Chartres-Aris is a Disabled Government Advisor, Founder & Investor, Multi-Award Winning Campaigner and Lobbyist, Researcher, Policy and Legal Expert, Speaker and Consultant, recognised as the UK’s most influential Disabled person. Together, they are the founders of Disabled By Society, a 100% Disabled owned and led business transforming exclusion to inclusion. 17% of the world’s population identifies as Disabled, making us the largest minority group in the world. Despite this, ableism is one of the most under addressed, under-discussed, and underrepresented conversations in society. Society is failing to unlearn our inherent ableism. Everyday, Disabled people face aggressions, encounter inaccessible barriers, are excluded, overlooked, treated as a burden, or seen as a problem to be fixed. As a result, Disabled people are often left to manage internalised ableism in this ableist society. We are on a mission to change this. We cant sit back and do nothing. We partner globally across all sectors to remove the ableism ingrained in cultures, recruitment, products and services, policies, and everything in between. We make the uncomfortable comfortable, ending cycles of oppression and creating an inclusive society that is accessible, empowers, represents and provides opportunity for everyone. Our ground-breaking research and policy work has fed into reviews and cited across the world as never-before-seen data by and for the Disabled community. And through policy, lobbying, consultancy, training, an award-winning podcast, Celia and Jamie deliver award-winning solutions that transform Disability exclusion to inclusion. Having worked with some of the biggest brands and charities in the world, creating systematic change for the 2 billion people affected by ableism. Order Jamie and Celia's book, Unlearning Ableism: The Ultimate No-Nonsense Guide to Understanding Disability and Unlearning Ableism. ... Stories Lived. Stories Told. is created, produced & hosted by Abbie VanMeter. | |||
| On Creating 'Grains of Empowerment' for Women and Girls with Mil Niepold | Ep. 143 | 06 Aug 2025 | 00:58:50 | |
Who isn't being invited to the conversation? ... Today, Abbie and Mil explore ways to create “grains of empowerment” that enable every individual to participate in community-based solutions to our global problems, beginning with each of us asking the question “who is missing?” in every space we enter; systematically inviting people with differing perspective, identities, and experiences to the table; and naming the invisible patterns of communication that keep us from hearing each other in conversation. ... As a board director, mediator, and international ESG supply chain strategist, Mil Niepold, has spent her career at the intersection of partnerships, policy, and sustainability—architecting inclusive, bottom-line solutions that address climate change while improving human rights at the same time. ... Stories Lived. Stories Told. is created, produced & hosted by Abbie VanMeter. | |||
| Where Does Meaning Come From? | Mike Hemphill | Part 1 | 03 Jul 2023 | 00:44:40 | |
How do we, as a community of individuals with individual experiences, thoughts, and feelings, come together to create shared meaning? How has our understanding of communication evolved to more accurately encompass the complexities and nuances of human relationships? How do we fool ourselves into believing "the illusion of stability"? And how can we learn to embrace mystery instead? ... Mike is the Director of Leadership Development for the Clinton Foundation and co-directs the Presidential Leadership Scholars program. He is also a Professor of Practice at the Clinton School of Public Service where he teaches courses on communication and the leadership of social change. Today, Mike introduces himself and shares about the experiences that have shaped him. Mike and Abbie discuss how they define communication, consider how meaning is made, and explore what it means to be both a scholar and a practitioner of communication. Finally, Mike talks about "the paradigm of communication." ... Stories Lived. Stories Told. is created, produced & hosted by Abbie VanMeter. Stories Lived. Stories Told. is an initiative of the CMM Institute for Personal and Social Evolution. ... Music for Stories Lived. Stories Told. is created by Rik Spann. Find Rik on YouTube. Listen to our conversation with Rik in Ep. 8. ... Explore all things Stories Lived. Stories Told. Email me! storieslived.storiestold@gmail.com Follow me on Instagram. Subscribe on YouTube. Check out my website. Learn more about the CMM Institute. Learn more about CMM. Learn more about Cosmopolis 2045. Learn more about CosmoKidz. Learn more about the CosmoTeenz Fellows' work on Instagram. | |||
| Invitations & Possibilities | Ilene Wasserman & Jeff Branch | Part 2 | 26 Jun 2023 | 00:41:16 | |
How can we use our individual relationships to make a difference in our larger social worlds? How can we promote healing and growth in our relationships? How can we learn to be agile and lead with emergence in our lives? ... Listen to Part One with Ilene and Jeff here. ... Dr. Ilene Wasserman is the Founder and President of ICW Consulting. Ilene is on the Board of Stewards for the CMM Institute for Personal and Social Evolution. She has been on the cutting edge of practice and research in strength-based methodologies, capacity building, and relational leadership, that engage diversity, create equity, and fosters inclusive cultures. Dr. Jeff Branch, Principal with ICW Consulting Group, LLC is an organization development, change, executive coach, and DEIBJ consultant. Jeff also practices as Chair of graduate programs utilizing inquiry, dialogue, and systems thinking to support multi-level system development and high performance. Ilene and Jeff are passionate about creating and sharing diversity, inclusion, and social justice initiatives with organizations at the personal, group, system, and community levels. They model transparency and value discovery, connection, care, and love. Ilene and Jeff understand the work it takes to create safe spaces for meaningful dialogue to occur. Today, Ilene, Jeff, and Abbie continue their conversation about community, curiosity, and inclusion. Ilene and Jeff share stories of their experience working with organizations, including the importance of internal partnerships in their work. Abbie asks Ilene and Jeff what it looks like for them to embody the values of dialogue, collaboration, and inclusion. Jeff and Ilene explain what it means to be "Cha-ordic," what it means to be mindful, and what it means to engage in "mutual transformative learning." Finally, Ilene and Jeff share their visions of a better social world. ... Stories Lived. Stories Told. is created, produced & hosted by Abbie VanMeter. Stories Lived. Stories Told. is an initiative of the CMM Institute for Personal andSocial Evolution. ... Music for Stories Lived. Stories Told. is created by Rik Spann. Find Rik on YouTube. Listen to our conversation with Rik in Ep. 8. ... Explore all things Stories Lived. Stories Told. Email me! storieslived.storiestold@gmail.com Follow me on Instagram. Subscribe on YouTube. Check out my website. Learn more about the CMM Institute. Learn more about CMM. Learn more about Cosmopolis 2045. Learn more about CosmoKidz. Learn more about the CosmoTeenz | |||
| Sparking Community | Ilene Wasserman & Jeff Branch | Part 1 | 19 Jun 2023 | 00:41:41 | |
How do we create spaces where people feel, not just safe enough but also, brave enough to share their most vulnerable stories and selves? How can we learn to manage the tension that arises when we start having new and challenging conversations? ... Dr. Ilene Wasserman is the Founder and President of ICW Consulting. Ilene is on the Board of Stewards for the CMM Institute for Personal and Social Evolution. She has been on the cutting edge of practice and research in strength-based methodologies, capacity building, and relational leadership, that engage diversity, create equity, and fosters inclusive cultures. Dr. Jeff Branch, Principal with ICW Consulting Group, LLC is an organization development, change, executive coach, and DEIBJ consultant. Jeff also practices as Chair of graduate programs utilizing inquiry, dialogue, and systems thinking to support multi-level system development and high performance. Ilene and Jeff are passionate about creating and sharing diversity, inclusion, and social justice initiatives with organizations at the personal, group, system, and community levels. They model transparency and value discovery, connection, care, and love. Ilene and Jeff understand the work it takes to create safe spaces for meaningful dialogue to occur. Today, Ilene and Jeff introduce themselves and share some stories that shaped them. Ilene discusses identity and how her understanding of identity was first formed. Jeff talks about how he thinks in terms of "episodes" and how he has always been guided by curiosity. Abbie, Ilene, and Jeff explore their first experiences interacting with people from different backgrounds and learning about diversity. Ilene explains what "innovative communities" and "inclusive communication" at the workplace means to her. Finally, Abbie asks Ilene and Jeff to describe what it means to them to "spark community." ... Stories Lived. Stories Told. is created, produced & hosted by Abbie VanMeter. Stories Lived. Stories Told. is an initiative of the CMM Institute for Personal andSocial Evolution. ... Music for Stories Lived. Stories Told. is created by Rik Spann. Find Rik on YouTube. Listen to our conversation with Rik in Ep. 8. ... Explore all things Stories Lived. Stories Told. Email me! storieslived.storiestold@gmail.com Follow me on Instagram. Subscribe on YouTube. Check out my website. Learn more about the CMM Institute. Learn more about CMM. Learn more about Cosmopolis 2045. Learn more about CosmoKidz. Learn more about the CosmoTeenz Fellows' work on Instagram. | |||
| Strategies for Changing Interpretation | Karen & Sonja Foss | Part 3 | 12 Jun 2023 | 00:32:18 | |
How can we be asking ourselves, "Is this a world in which I want to be living?" What do we do when the answer is "no"? ... Karen A. Foss is Regents’ Professor Emeritus of Communication at the University of New Mexico. Her work expands the boundaries of communication to incorporate and legitimatize feminist perspectives. She is the author of COLOR Up to Create the Life You Want to Live. Sonja K. Foss is Professor Emeritx of Communication at the University of Colorado Denver. She has been on the forefront of scholarship on agency, change, and communication from feminist perspectives. Her books include Inviting Transformation. Together, Karen and Sonja have authored Feminist Rhetorical Theories, Gender Stories, and Feminism in Practice. Today, Abbie, Karen, and Sonja discuss "interpretation" as the core of Karen and Sonja's work and lives. Karen and Sonja present strategies for making new choices, including reframing, appreciation, enactment, and more. Abbie, Karen, and Sonja discuss what it means to "live today as you want the world to be," what it means to always be denying reality, and what it means to "joyfully allow." Finally, Abbie expresses appreciation for the ways that Karen and Sonja have made these important ideas accessible, asks about what it's like for Karen and Sonja to work so closely, and considers what this work means for what a better social world looks like. ... Stories Lived. Stories Told. is created, produced & hosted by Abbie VanMeter. Stories Lived. Stories Told. is an initiative of the CMM Institute for Personal andSocial Evolution. ... Music for Stories Lived. Stories Told. is created by Rik Spann. Find Rik on YouTube. Listen to our conversation with Rik in Ep. 8. ... Explore all things Stories Lived. Stories Told. Email me! storieslived.storiestold@gmail.com Follow me on Instagram. Subscribe on YouTube. Check out my website. Learn more about the CMM Institute. Learn more about CMM. Learn more about Cosmopolis 2045. Learn more about CosmoKidz | |||
| Invitational Rhetoric | Karen & Sonja Foss | Part 2 | 05 Jun 2023 | 00:29:29 | |
How can we communicate in a way that acts as an invitation for others? ... Karen A. Foss is Regents’ Professor Emeritus of Communication at the University of New Mexico. Her work expands the boundaries of communication to incorporate and legitimatize feminist perspectives. She is the author of COLOR Up to Create the Life You Want to Live. Sonja K. Foss is Professor Emeritx of Communication at the University of Colorado Denver. She has been on the forefront of scholarship on agency, change, and communication from feminist perspectives. Her books include Inviting Transformation. Together, Karen and Sonja have authored Feminist Rhetorical Theories, Gender Stories, and Feminism in Practice. Today, Abbie, Karen, and Sonja discuss the importance of remembering our choices when it comes to both feminism and communication. Abbie explores the connection between Karen and Sonja's understanding of feminism and CMM, comparing the process of understanding, critiquing, and transforming with the CMM-ish process of imagination, genuine inquiry, and embodiment (presented by Alex Jagiello in Ep. 22). Karen and Sonja describe the feminist values of equality, self-determination, and immanent value. Finally, Abbie, Karen, and Sonja consider caring wildly about the things we care about as an "ethical version of persuasion." ... Stories Lived. Stories Told. is created, produced & hosted by Abbie VanMeter. Stories Lived. Stories Told. is an initiative of the CMM Institute for Personal andSocial Evolution. ... Music for Stories Lived. Stories Told. is created by Rik Spann. Find Rik on YouTube. Listen to our conversation with Rik in Ep. 8. ... Explore all things Stories Lived. Stories Told. Email me! storieslived.storiestold@gmail.com Follow me on Instagram. Subscribe on YouTube. Check out my website. Learn more about the CMM Institute. Learn more about CMM. Learn more about Cosmopolis 2045. | |||
| Feminisms & Communication | Karen & Sonja Foss | Part 1 | 29 May 2023 | 00:44:07 | |
How can we better include the experiences of women in our understanding of communication? ... Karen A. Foss is Regents’ Professor Emeritus of Communication at the University of New Mexico. Her work expands the boundaries of communication to incorporate and legitimatize feminist perspectives. She is the author of COLOR Up to Create the Life You Want to Live. Sonja K. Foss is Professor Emeritx of Communication at the University of Colorado Denver. She has been on the forefront of scholarship on agency, change, and communication from feminist perspectives. Her books include Inviting Transformation. Together, Karen and Sonja have authored Feminist Rhetorical Theories, Gender Stories, and Feminism in Practice. Today, Karen and Sonja share the story of how they came to be so passionate about the intersection of feminism and communication. Abbie, Karen, and Sonja discuss the need to rethink the assumptions of theories in the discipline of communication that are based on the historic communication patterns of men. Karen and Sonja offer a definition of feminism, including the roles of understanding, critique, and transformation. Finally, Karen and Sonja explain some of the different types of feminisms. ... Stories Lived. Stories Told. is created, produced & hosted by Abbie VanMeter. Stories Lived. Stories Told. is an initiative of the CMM Institute for Personal andSocial Evolution. ... Music for Stories Lived. Stories Told. is created by Rik Spann. Find Rik on YouTube. Listen to our conversation with Rik in Ep. 8. ... Explore all things Stories Lived. Stories Told. Email me! storieslived.storiestold@gmail.com Follow me on Instagram. Subscribe on YouTube. Check out my website. Learn more about the CMM Institute. Learn more about CMM. Learn more about Cosmopolis 2045. Learn more about | |||
| Plan for Emergence | Sergej van Middendorp | Bonus Episode Reflection | 26 May 2023 | 00:46:10 | |
What are you still thinking about from our conversation with Stephanie Higgs? What questions do you still have after our conversation with Chris Wells and Emma Nicholson? ... Today, Abbie is joined by Sergej van Middendorp, a member of the CMM Institute's Board of Stewards, to reflect on the conversations Abbie previously had with Stephanie Higgs (Part 1 & Part 2) and Chris Wells and Emma Nicholson (Part 1 & Part 2). In this conversation, Sergej shares his own experience with learning about the label of "giftedness." Abbie and Sergej discuss the relationship between difference and sameness, and the ways that each showed up in the conversations with Stephanie, Chris, and Emma. Abbie and Sergej explore what it means to "complicate the narrative," how we can embrace that paradox of "planning for emergence," and looking back while at the same time looking forward. ... Stories Lived. Stories Told. is created, produced & hosted by Abbie VanMeter. Stories Lived. Stories Told. is an initiative of the CMM Institute for Personal andSocial Evolution. ... Music for Stories Lived. Stories Told. is created by Rik Spann. Find Rik on YouTube. Listen to our conversation with Rik in Ep. 8. ... Explore all things Stories Lived. Stories Told. Email me! storieslived.storiestold@gmail.com Follow me on Instagram. Subscribe on YouTube. Check out my website. Learn more about the CMM Institute. Learn more about CMM. Learn more about Cosmopolis 2045. Learn more about CosmoKidz. Learn more about the CosmoTeenz Fellows' work on Instagram. | |||
| Pronouns & Labels | Jennifer Furlong | A Model for Navigating Polarizing Topics | Part 3 | 22 May 2023 | 00:40:10 | |
What is the difference between leaning in and opting out of conversations that feel tricky to navigate? When we do not feel that we understand the beliefs that someone holds, how can we stay in conversation and push through to find the story behind that belief, which inevitably gives us the best chance at finding shared understanding? How can we make small (but significant) changes in our language so that we are inviting others into conversation instead of shutting down dialogue? ... Jennifer Arvin Furlong is a highly-rated communication/media specialist with 30 years of experience in the communication industry and 18 years of experience teaching in higher education. She is the author of Mini-Handbook for Jackasses: Communication & Relationships and co-author of the #1 Amazon international best seller, Cracking the Rich Code. She is a TEDx speaker and coach and host of the Communication TwentyFourSeven Podcast. She is a Marine Corps veteran, a first-generation college graduate (B.A. and M.A. in Communication), a mom, and a breast cancer survivor. Today, Jennifer and I wrap up our conversation by exploring some topics that tend to provoke strong (and very different) opinions. We begin by referring to the Platinum Rule ("treat others the way they want to be treated") and how we might live that out. My hope for this episode is that it may act as a model of what it can look like to lean into challenging and potentially polarizing conversations. I imagine that you may feel some discomfort during this conversation. I invite you to lean in with us and to spend some time examining your own reactions in the hopes of learning more about yourself and others. I ask that you pay special attention to the ways in which Jennifer and I choose curiosity and how that opens us up to understand each other better. In this conversation, Jennifer and I explore the role that labels play in our society (both the good and the not so good), some of the stories that shaped Jennifer’s beliefs around gender and meaning, and the ways we can use curiosity to create connection instead of disconnection. As you reflect on your own values during this conversation, and hear some of ours, I encourage you to read my Values Statement. ... Stories Lived. Stories Told. is created, produced & hosted by Abbie VanMeter. Stories Lived. Stories Told. is an initiative of the CMM Institute for Personal andSocial Evolution. ... Music for Stories Lived. Stories Told. is created by Rik Spann. Find Rik on YouTube. Listen to our conversation with Rik in Ep. 8. ... Explore all things Stories Lived. Stories Told. Email me! storieslived.storiestold@gmail.com Follow me on Instagram. Subscribe on | |||
| Perspective, Paying Attention & The Platinum Rule | Jennifer Furlong | Part 2 | 15 May 2023 | 00:36:18 | |
Who are you inviting to your table? Who or what do you need to disinvite? What changes if we really start to believe that communication is not just about talking? How can we create change simply by listening and paying attention? How can we find a balance between advocating for our own stories and making space for the very different stories of others? How can we learn to collaborate with others rather than over-accommodating or over-dominating in relationships? … Jennifer Arvin Furlong is a highly rated communication/media specialist with 30 years of experience in the communication industry and 18 years of experience teaching in higher education. She is the author of Mini-Handbook for Jackasses: Communication & Relationships and co-author of the #1 Amazon international best seller, Cracking the Rich Code. She is a TEDx speaker and coach and host of the Communication TwentyFourSeven Podcast. She is a Marine Corps veteran, a first-generation college graduate (B.A. and M.A. in Communication), a mom, and a breast cancer survivor. Listen to Part One of our conversation with Jennifer here: Communicating to Understand and be Understood | A Conversation with Jennifer Furlong. Today, Jennifer talks about her experience of taking her wedding ring off for the first time after her divorce, letting herself feel all the emotions instead of acting like they don’t exist, and writing a new story for herself. Abbie and Jennifer discuss “intrapersonal communication” and the stories Jennifer was taught about emotions and relationships. Jennifer explains the importance of being “audience-centered,” considering frames of reference, and listening attentively. Finally, Abbie and Jennifer explore the Platinum Rule (“treat others the way they want to be treated”) as a way to create meaningful interactions. ... Stories Lived. Stories Told. is created, produced & hosted by Abbie VanMeter. Stories Lived. Stories Told. is an initiative of the CMM Institute for Personal and Social Evolution. ... Music for Stories Lived. Stories Told. is created by Rik Spann. Find Rik on YouTube. Listen to our conversation with Rik in Ep. 8. ... Explore all things Stories Lived. Stories Told. Email me! storieslived.storiestold@gmail.com Follow me on Instagram. Subscribe on YouTube. Check out my website. Learn more about the CMM Institute. Learn more about CMM. | |||
| Communicating to Understand & be Understood | Jennifer Furlong | Part 1 | 08 May 2023 | 00:44:11 | |
What are the possibilities of communication? What are the limits? How does understanding both bring us peace about what is outside of our control? How can we seek to “respond” instead of “reacting”? What is the difference between “responding” and “reacting”? What if we let go of the idea of trying to control the way that others communicate and instead focus on controlling our own communication in the hopes that it might be what sets the example for others? … Jennifer Arvin Furlong is a highly rated communication/media specialist with 30 years of experience in the communication industry and 18 years of experience teaching in higher education. She is the author of Mini-Handbook for Jackasses: Communication & Relationships and co-author of the #1 Amazon international best seller, Cracking the Rich Code. She is a TEDx speaker and coach and host of the Communication TwentyFourSeven Podcast. She is a Marine Corps veteran, a first-generation college graduate (B.A. and M.A. in Communication), a mom, and a breast cancer survivor. In this conversation, Jennifer shares stories of some pivotal moments in her life, including joining the Marine Corps, working as a journalist, and starting her own company. Abbie and Jennifer discuss their shared love of communication and the importance of developing the communication skills and perspective to engage in tricky (but meaningful) conversations. Jennifer and Abbie explore “communicating about how we communicate,” letting go of old stories, and writing new ones. Finally, Jennifer defines communication in her own words. ... Stories Lived. Stories Told. is created, produced & hosted by Abbie VanMeter. Stories Lived. Stories Told. is an initiative of the CMM Institute for Personal and Social Evolution. ... Music for Stories Lived. Stories Told. is created by Rik Spann. Find Rik on YouTube. Listen to our conversation with Rik in Ep. 8. ... Explore all things Stories Lived. Stories Told. Email me! storieslived.storiestold@gmail.com Follow me on Instagram. Subscribe on YouTube. Check out my website. Learn more about the CMM Institute. Learn more about CMM. Learn more about Cosmopolis 2045. Learn more about CosmoKidz. Learn more about the CosmoTeenz Fellows' work on Instagram.< | |||
| On Observing Mindfulness, Innovation & Complexity with Mattia Vettorello | Ep. 142 | 23 Jul 2025 | 00:55:59 | |
How do we create better social worlds at the intersection of mindfulness, innovation, and complexity? ... Today, Abbie and Mattia consider the responsibility humans have to mindfully engage with tools like artificial intelligence by prioritizing our own imagination; the lessons we can learn from experiences of uncertainty and ambiguity; the need for us to practice thinking in an agile way as we look to the future; and the role we have as participant-observers. ... Mattia Vettorello is a results-driven team leader with over 13 years of experience in design-led innovation and first principles thinking, specializing in early-stage validation, product development and design operations. Recipient of the international Innovation Management Award from the International Society for Professional Innovation Management (ISPIM) for creating the Innovation System Roadmap: a pioneering tool to optimize investment decisions on early stage ideas, to influence flexibility into the development process and to equip teams with future-thinking capabilities. He regularly publishes thought leadership and speaks at international conferences on anticipatory innovation, ecosystem business model & Ai as a co-thinker. ... Stories Lived. Stories Told. is created, produced & hosted by Abbie VanMeter. | |||
| Authenticity, Accessibility & Staircases | Chris Wells & Emma Nicholson | Part 2 | 01 May 2023 | 00:42:01 | |
Please be aware that this conversation contains discussion of suicide, addiction, and mental illness. … How might we use the Theory of Positive Disintegration and CMM to equip ourselves to lean into the challenge of deconstructing and reconstructing our values? What makes you feel empowered to take control of your own narrative? How can you seek out language, tools, and community that encourages that? How can you yourself empower others to do the same? … Dr. Chris Wells is a writer, social worker, and founder of the Dabrowski Center, a nonprofit organization dedicated to advancing the Theory of Positive Disintegration (TPD). They are also the co-host of the Positive Disintegration Podcast. Emma is the co-host of the Positive Disintegration Podcast, and creates content for people learning about the Theory of Positive Disintegration for her website Tragic Gift, and YouTube channel, Adults With Overexcitabilities. Chris explains the distinction between disintegration and positive disintegration by sharing their own experience. Emma and Chris talk about the “authentic voice,” multilevel and unilevel disintegration, and the importance of supportive relationships. Abbie explains the similarities she sees between CMM and TPD, including the balance of personal power and uncontrollable context, the need for reflection, and the process of meaning-making. Finally, Abbie, Chris, and Emma discuss their shared passions for making the content of their theories accessible to people, so that we can climb the stairs for ourselves and at the same time, turn around and help other people do the same. ... Stories Lived. Stories Told. is created, produced & hosted by Abbie VanMeter. Stories Lived. Stories Told. is an initiative of the CMM Institute for Personal and Social Evolution. ... Music for Stories Lived. Stories Told. is created by Rik Spann. Find Rik on YouTube. Listen to our conversation with Rik in Ep. 8. ... Listen to Part One with Chris and Emma. Listen to the Positive Disintegration Podcast. Learn more about The Dabrowski Center. Learn more about the Theory of Positive Disintegration (TPD). Find Emma on YouTube. ... Explore all things Stories Lived. Stories Told. Email me! storieslived.storiestold@gmail.com Follow me on Instagram. Subscribe on YouTube. Check out my website. Learn more about the | |||
| Positive Disintegration & Overexcitability | Chris Wells & Emma Nicholson | Part 1 | 24 Apr 2023 | 00:38:46 | |
What is Giftedness? What is Overexcitability? What is the Theory of Positive Disintegration? What if we stopped trying to “fix” ourselves and started trying to change the world around us instead? How can we start to challenge the framework we have about cognition and emotion? How can we work together to co-create a new framework that honors emotions better? ... Dr. Chris Wells is a writer, social worker, and founder of the Dabrowski Center, a nonprofit organization dedicated to advancing the Theory of Positive Disintegration (TPD). They are also the co-host of the Positive Disintegration Podcast. Emma is the co-host of the Positive Disintegration Podcast, and creates content for people learning about the Theory of Positive Disintegration for her website Tragic Gift, and YouTube channel, Adults With Overexcitabilities. Today, Emma and Chris share some stories about themselves, including their relationships to the Theory of Positive Disintegration (TPD) and their own experiences with disintegrating. Chris and Emma explain giftedness, overexcitability, and dynamisms. Abbie, Emma, and Chris discuss stereotypes, “spurs to self-correction,” and what it could look like to transform overexcitability in order to live with intense experiences. Finally, Emma and Chris break down the Theory of Positive Disintegration. ... Stories Lived. Stories Told. is created, produced & hosted by Abbie VanMeter. Stories Lived. Stories Told. is an initiative of the CMM Institute for Personal and Social Evolution. ... Music for Stories Lived. Stories Told. is created by Rik Spann. Find Rik on YouTube. ... Listen to the Positive Disintegration Podcast. Learn more about The Dabrowski Center. Learn more about the Theory of Positive Disintegration (TPD). Find Emma on YouTube. ... Explore all things Stories Lived. Stories Told. Email me! storieslived.storiestold@gmail.com Follow me on Instagram. Subscribe on YouTube. Check out my website. Learn more about the CMM Institute. Learn more about CMM. Learn more about Cosmopolis 2045. Learn more about CosmoKidz. Learn more about the CosmoTeenz Fellows' work on Instagram. | |||
| Defining Diversity, Equity & Inclusion | Paul Porter | Part 2 | 17 Apr 2023 | 00:42:03 | |
Why is language so important? How does language empower us in our creation of social worlds? How can we let go of a scarcity mindset in favor of a mindset of abundance? How can we see the stories of others as adding something important rather than taking something away from us? What does it actually look like to make more space for people and their stories? How can we start to recognize the systemic ways that certain stories have been left out? How can we start to “build a bigger table”? Instead of dismissing our vision as unrealistic or unattainable, how can we learn to use imagination and hope as tools to make our dreams a reality? … Dr. Paul Porter is the Director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion for the National Speech and Debate Association (NSDA). Like Abbie, Paul graduated from Ball State University and was a member of the Ball State Speech Team. Paul went on to earn his Master’s in Communication and Rhetorical Studies at Eastern Michigan University and his Ph.D. in Educational Leadership from Indiana State University. Paul has worked on the development of programs and initiatives designed to help create inclusive environments for diverse student populations, as well as diversity strategic plans and program assessments. Paul has presented on topics such as multicultural competence and unconscious bias across the state of Indiana and nationwide. In part two of this conversation, Paul shares his experience with Speech in high school and college. Abbie and Paul discuss how similar experiences shaped who they are today. Paul talks about when he first learned what ADHD and depression are, when he was diagnosed, and how this language changed how he saw himself. Abbie and Paul consider what it looks like to really live out values around diversity, equity, and inclusion on a personal and organizational level. Paul and Abbie use the metaphor of a salad to explore the nuances of diversity, representation, and privilege of stories. Paul explains the theory of Social Change Disruption and how we can embrace “disrupting the status quo for the greater good.” Finally, Abbie and Paul discuss what a better social world looks like through the lens of DEI. ... "If we have no peace, it is because we have forgotten that we belong to each other” -Mother Teresa “We are only but one conversation from the relationship that changes the rest of our lives” -Lee Mun Wah ... Stories Lived. Stories Told. is created, produced & hosted by Abbie VanMeter. Stories Lived. Stories Told. is an initiative of the CMM Institute for Personal and Social Evolution. ... Music for Stories Lived. Stories Told. is created by Rik Spann. Find Rik on YouTube. ... Email me! storieslived.storiestold@gmail.com Follow me on Instagram Subscribe on YouTube Check out my website Learn more about the CMM Institute. Learn more about CMM. Learn more about Cosmopolis 2045. Learn more about CosmoKidz. Learn more about the CosmoTeenz Fellows' work on Instagram. | |||
| Multicultural Competence in Complex Social Worlds | Paul Porter | Part 1 | 10 Apr 2023 | 00:45:15 | |
What is “multicultural competence”? And why do we need it? What are the real ways that we can embrace the complexity of our experiences? How do we manage an ever-evolving social world? … Dr. Paul Porter is the Director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion for the National Speech and Debate Association (NSDA). Like Abbie, Paul graduated from Ball State University and was a member of the Ball State Speech Team. Paul went on to earn his Master’s in Communication and Rhetorical Studies at Eastern Michigan University and his Ph.D. in Educational Leadership from Indiana State University. Paul has worked on the development of programs and initiatives designed to help create inclusive environments for diverse student populations, as well as diversity strategic plans and program assessments. Paul has presented on topics such as multicultural competence and unconscious bias across the state of Indiana and nationwide. Today, Abbie and Paul discuss shared stories around their experience with speech, the subjectivity of success and failure, and meaning-making in Paul’s life. Paul shares some stories from his life to help contextualize his perspective in this conversation. Paul explores his “bittersweet” relationship with the role of father figures and why he is so passionate about investing in young people. Paul and Abbie discuss gray areas, cognitive schemas, and puzzles. Finally, Paul shares his journey into the world of communication, from his 3rd grade tests to his high school morning announcements. We end this conversation on a cliffhanger; join us again next week for Part Two of this conversation with Paul. ... Stories Lived. Stories Told. is created, produced & hosted by Abbie VanMeter. Stories Lived. Stories Told. is an initiative of the CMM Institute for Personal and Social Evolution. ... Music for Stories Lived. Stories Told. is created by Rik Spann. Find Rik on YouTube. ... Email me! storieslived.storiestold@gmail.com Follow me on Instagram Subscribe on YouTube Check out my website Learn more about the CMM Institute. Learn more about CMM. Learn more about Cosmopolis 2045. Learn more about CosmoKidz. Learn more about the CosmoTeenz Fellows' work on Instagram. | |||
| Absurdity, Anti-Semitism & Shared Humanity | Zev Burton | Part 2 | 27 Mar 2023 | 00:37:42 | |
How can we recognize the complexity of our social worlds by understanding the role of humor in moments of pain, suffering, and oppression? How might we make space for stories that are different than our own? And how might we begin to see all stories as contributing to the never-ending story of what it means to be human? What does it mean for people to "have the necessities they need for the opportunity to thrive"? How can we create a better social world that accomplishes this? ... Zev Burton is a student, author, and all-around curious person. Zev graduated with a Bachelor’s in International Security from Georgetown University in 2022. He is now working on a Master’s in Data Science and Analysis. Zev has written a book on the intersection of humor and political events called Two Fish in a Tank: How Jokes Can Give Hope to a Fractured World. Zev also uses his platform on TikTok to discuss social issues, focusing on the performance and effects of Anti-Seminitism. Today, Abbie and Zev continue their conversation about humor, discussing humor as a societal coping mechanism; the role of parody and satire throughout history; and the distinction between “making light of things” and a type of humor that actually stems from a depth of understanding of pain and suffering as a part of the human experience. Zev talks about humor as a political tool used to educate, empower, and inspire. Abbie considers the conversation through the lens of meaning-making. Zev explains his platform on TikTok and how he hopes to turn “views” into understanding, empathy, and action. Abbie and Zev explore the perspective Zev has developed as a Jewish person (among a number of other identities) and his experience with fighting anti-semitism online. Finally, Abbie and Zev discuss the new stories that Zev is trying to share about Judaism, the struggle to claim space and be heard, and why Zev’s “better social world” is one where everyone has the opportunity to prosper and create. ... Stories Lived. Stories Told. is created, produced & hosted by Abbie VanMeter. Stories Lived. Stories Told. is an initiative of the CMM Institute for Personal and Social Evolution. ... Music for Stories Lived. Stories Told. is created by Rik Spann. Find Rik on YouTube. ... Find Zev on TikTok. Buy Zev's book. Email me! storieslived.storiestold@gmail.com Follow me on Instagram Subscribe on YouTube Check out my website Learn more about the CMM Institute. Learn more about CMM. Learn more about Cosmopolis 2045. Learn more about CosmoKidz. Follow the CosmoTeenz Fellows' work on Instagram. | |||
| Data Storytelling & The Power in Responding to Oppression with Humor | Zev Burton | Part 1 | 20 Mar 2023 | 00:41:10 | |
What is the role of data in our lives? How does data tell a story? How can we better understand it and use it ethically to create a better social world? How does humor allow us to subvert expectations in a way that is empowering? What can we change when we begin to believe this? How can we deepen our understanding of political events by using a communication perspective to consider meaning-making, context, and storytelling? ... Zev Burton is a student, author, and all-around curious person. Zev graduated with a Bachelor’s in International Security from Georgetown University in 2022. He is now working on a Master’s in Data Science and Analysis. Zev has written a book on the intersection of humor and political events called Two Fish in a Tank: How Jokes Can Give Hope to a Fractured World. Zev also uses his platform on TikTok to discuss social issues, focusing on the performance and effects of Anti-Seminitism. Today, Abbie and Zev discuss their shared background in Speech and Debate and what it means to them. Zev shares his academic journey, explaining what the fields of International Security and Data Science and Analysis are, why he is convinced they matter, and how he sees them as working hand in hand. Abbie and Zev explore the ethics of data collection and use. Zev talks about his research on the topic of mass murders and the stories we tell (and don’t tell) about them. Zev explains his passion, not exactly for data itself, but for the insights that data provides. Abbie and Zev explore the meaning-making that happens in data analysis. Finally, Abbie and Zev begin to talk about the communication perspective Zev uses in his book, the process of conceptualizing and writing the book, and how the use of humor can be a powerful tool for resisting oppression. ... Stories Lived. Stories Told. is created, produced & hosted by Abbie VanMeter. Stories Lived. Stories Told. is an initiative of the CMM Institute for Personal and Social Evolution. ... Music for Stories Lived. Stories Told. is created by Rik Spann. Find Rik on YouTube. ... Find Zev on TikTok. Buy Zev's book. Email me! storieslived.storiestold@gmail.com Follow me on Instagram Subscribe on YouTube Check out my website Learn more about the CMM Institute. Learn more about CMM. Learn more about Cosmopolis 2045. Learn more about CosmoKidz. Follow the CosmoTeenz Fellows' work on Instagram. | |||
| Surviving Child Loss One Turn at a Time | Michelle Colpean | Part 2 | 13 Mar 2023 | 00:44:45 | |
How do we do ourselves a disservice by oversimplifying grief and limiting what we consider to be "appropriate" responses and "acceptable" expressions of it? Instead of saying, "let me know what I can do to help," how can we answer our own question by using our empathy and creativity to show up for the people we love in the depths of grief? What does it do for us to see moments of pain and suffering as an opportunity for connection rather than disconnection? ... Dr. Michelle Colpean is a communication professor at the University of Cincinnati. She received her Bachelor's in Psychology and Master's in Communication Studies from Ball State University and her Ph.D. in Communication Studies (Rhetoric) from the University of Iowa. She is the mother of Sami, who passed away suddenly on January 12, 2021, at 8 months old, and Salma, who is about to turn 1 year old. Michelle uses her background in communication to help her survive the grief of losing her son and continues to write and present on the topic of grief, among other things. Michelle also makes Personalized Car Charms which she sells on Etsy, to support others in remembering the people they love that they have lost. Today, Abbie and Michelle discuss Mary Todd Lincoln; the stigma, taboos, and silence that exists around child loss; and the generational shift in understanding and expressing grief around child loss. Michelle shares what support that was offered to her felt helpful and what support did not feel helpful, pointing out that we need to be careful of "recentering" ourselves (the ones offering support) rather than keeping the focus on the person who is grieving and their loss. Abbie and Michelle explore the tendency of people to disengage when faced with something big and intimidating, and why those are the moments when it is more important than ever to lean in and find ways to engage. Michelle shares her thoughts on the communal experiences of both joy and sadness, the need for authenticity with boundaries, and learning to live in survival mode by taking life one turn at a time. Finally, Abbie and Michelle talk about the new story that they hope to be a part of around child loss, for ourselves, and for future generations. ... Stories Lived. Stories Told. is created, produced & hosted by Abbie VanMeter. Stories Lived. Stories Told. is an initiative of the CMM Institute for Personal and Social Evolution. ... Music for Stories Lived. Stories Told. is created by Rik Spann. Find Rik on YouTube. ... Follow Michelle on Instagram Check out Michelle's Etsy Shop Read more about Sami Email me! storieslived.storiestold@gmail.com Follow me on Instagram Subscribe on YouTube Check out my website Learn more about the CMM Institute. Learn more about CMM. Learn more about Cosmopolis 2045. Learn more about CosmoKidz. Follow the CosmoTeenz Fellows' work on Instagram. | |||
| Complex Grief, Child Loss & Finding Peace Even Without Answers | Michelle Colpean | Part 1 | 06 Mar 2023 | 00:43:15 | |
How do we find peace when there is no sense to be made of our pain? What can we do to lean into a more complex understanding of loss and grief? How can we trade platitudes like "everything happens for a reason" for a deeper understanding of the way pain and joy can coexist in our lives? ... Dr. Michelle Colpean is a communication professor at the University of Cincinnati. She received her Bachelor's in Psychology and Master's in Communication Studies from Ball State University and her Ph.D. in Communication Studies (Rhetoric) from the University of Iowa. She is the mother of Sami, who passed away suddenly on January 12, 2021, at 8 months old, and Salma, who is about to turn 1 year old. Michelle uses her background in communication to help her survive the grief of losing her son and continues to write and present on the topic of grief, among other things. Michelle also makes Personalized Car Charms which she sells on Etsy, to support others in remembering the people they love that they have lost. In this conversation, Michelle talks about the many roles and relationships in her life that define her and how she doesn't try to compartmentalize them. Michelle shares about her son Sami, who passed away when he was 8 months old. Abbie and Michelle discuss how Michelle experiences grief, how her memory was affected during that time, and how she finds meaning in her life now. Importantly, Abbie and Michelle explore the perspective and beauty that Michelle has found after Sami's passing, while questioning the helpfulness of any comment that starts with "at least" and the idea of finding a "silver lining." Finally, Michelle shares her experience of both joy and pain and how she has come to understand their relationship in her life. ... Stories Lived. Stories Told. is created, produced & hosted by Abbie VanMeter. Stories Lived. Stories Told. is an initiative of the CMM Institute for Personal and Social Evolution. ... Music for Stories Lived. Stories Told. is created by Rik Spann. Find Rik on YouTube. ... Follow Michelle on Instagram Check out Michelle's Etsy Shop Read more about Sami Email me! storieslived.storiestold@gmail.com Follow me on Instagram Subscribe on YouTube Check out my website Learn more about the CMM Institute. Learn more about CMM. Learn more about Cosmopolis 2045. Learn more about CosmoKidz. Follow the CosmoTeenz Fellows' work on Instagram. | |||
| How Can We Create a New Story About Death and Dying? | Madison Gonzalez | Part 2 | 27 Feb 2023 | 00:43:51 | |
Why does a fear of the unknown keep us from leaning into the hard conversations and experiences around death and dying? How can we hold onto the things we can control so that we can feel steady enough to keep leaning into this big thing that we can't? How can we let go of unhelpful stories and write new ones for ourselves by learning better ways to recognize the deeply human pain we feel around death and better ways to support and show up for those in our life who are dying? Why do we wait until people are gone to celebrate their lives? How can we find beauty and connection, even in the painful last moments of life? ... Madison Gonzalez is a poet and the author of Dear Mirror; the Executive Director of Morning Light Inc., a non-profit located in Indianapolis, Indiana that provides end-of-life care to those in hospice; a mother to two (very lucky) kids; and Abbie's former babysitter (among many other things). Madison has used her passion for storytelling and her aptitude for event planning to organize fundraising efforts for Morning Light Inc., including the highest-grossing fundraising events in Morning Light history. She also teaches her non-profit communication methods nationally to help other organizations advance their missions as well. Today, Madison shares about the work that she does with Morning Light Inc., as they provide a home, comfort, and community to those in hospice care with nowhere else to go. Abbie and Madison consider why we tend to "look the other way" when it comes to death and dying and how our culture has contributed to the current systems we have now (and why we might need something new). Madison shares the words from a former resident that guide her ("Too many of us leave this world with our stories untold.") and other stories from the Abbie Hunt Bryce Home. Abbie and Madison talk about the importance of the work of giving people a new story when the one they have been always been told made them believe that no one cared about them. Finally, Abbie and Madison explore some Next Turns to keep this conversation going in our social worlds. ... Stories Lived. Stories Told. is created, produced & hosted by Abbie VanMeter. Stories Lived. Stories Told. is an initiative of the CMM Institute for Personal and Social Evolution. ... Music for Stories Lived. Stories Told. is created by Rik Spann. Find Rik on YouTube. ... Follow Madison on Instagram! Buy Dear Mirror! Learn more about Morning Light Inc. Email me! storieslived.storiestold@gmail.com Follow me on Instagram! Subscribe on YouTube! Check out my website! Learn more about the CMM Institute. Learn more about CMM. Learn more about Cosmopolis 2045. Learn more about CosmoKidz. | |||
| Postpartum, Celebration & Creating Connection | Madison Gonzalez | Part 1 | 20 Feb 2023 | 00:46:00 | |
How can we embrace celebrating every part of ourselves (even the parts we don't feel like celebrating) as a way to recognize our full humanity? What connection happens when we share our most vulnerable parts with others, especially when we are still in the middle of figuring them out? How can we make time to pursue creation (in any of its many forms) as a way to "check-in" with ourselves and reflect? ... Madison Gonzalez is a poet and the author of Dear Mirror; the Executive Director of Morning Light Inc., a non-profit located in Indianapolis, Indiana that provides end-of-life care to those in hospice; a mother to two (very lucky) kids; and Abbie's former babysitter (among many other things). Madison has used her passion for storytelling and her aptitude for event planning to organize fundraising efforts for Morning Light Inc., including the highest-grossing fundraising events in Morning Light history. She also teaches her non-profit communication methods nationally to help other organizations advance their missions as well. In today's conversation, Madison shares how she learned to stop running from herself and listen to what her Postpartum Depression had to teach her. Abbie and Madison discuss "the creative power of communication" and how we can think of our work and its impact using the metaphor of a dandelion. Madison talks about her book of poetry, Dear Mirror, and what it means to her. Finally, Abbie and Madison discuss the stories the world tells us, how those often become the stories we tell ourselves, and the new kind of story that Madison is hoping to tell herself (and her kids). ... Stories Lived. Stories Told. is created, produced & hosted by Abbie VanMeter. Stories Lived. Stories Told. is an initiative of the CMM Institute for Personal and Social Evolution. ... Music for Stories Lived. Stories Told. is created by Rik Spann. Find Rik on YouTube. ... Follow Madison on Instagram! Buy Dear Mirror! Learn more about Morning Light Inc. Get Involved with Morning Light Inc. Email me! storieslived.storiestold@gmail.com Follow me on Instagram! Subscribe on YouTube! Check out my website! Learn more about the CMM Institute. Learn more about CMM. Learn more about Cosmopolis 2045. Learn more about CosmoKidz. Follow the CosmoTeenz Fellows' work on Instagram. | |||
| On Predictions, Expectations & the Neurobiology of Sensemaking with Rachel Lilley | Ep. 141 | 09 Jul 2025 | 01:04:23 | |
How can we learn to see more of our expectations and assumptions? ... Today, Abbie and Rachel are two 'embodied minds' exploring the neurobiology of sensemaking, including our brains being more prediction than reaction, the controlled illusion of acting out of our expectations, the 'felt sense' we experience that encodes all information about priors, and the perception practice that allows us to check our assumptions. ... Rachel Lilley is an Associate Professor at the Birmingham Leadership Institute, a Systems Thinking and Leadership teaching and research centre at the University of Birmingham, UK. She is a practitioner-researcher in systems approaches and systems leadership and also the Programme Director for an innovative transdisciplinary Master’s Programme combining Systems Leadership and Systems Practice. Rachel’s high-impact research examines human decision-making, systems thinking capabilities, and behavioural change. It has supported policy design and practice, community initiatives, and leadership development at all levels. She has a particular interest in building capabilities to address climate and social change. Rachel is an expert in human sensemaking, with specialist knowledge in cognition, consciousness, and perception. Her theoretical expertise is supported and informed by a strong track record of practising, teaching, and developing embodied perception skills in teams, organisations, and individuals. She has over 30 years of experience as a systems practitioner working with public and third-sector organisations, as well as large corporates, addressing climate change, social issues, leadership, behaviour change, community engagement, and well-being. ... Stories Lived. Stories Told. is created, produced & hosted by Abbie VanMeter. | |||
| Teaching Openmindedness, Cultivating Relationships & Setting Boundaries | Stephanie Higgs | Part 2 | 13 Feb 2023 | 00:47:12 | |
How do we create meaning through shared language in every space? Why is it helpful to ask ourselves if what we know is being "Confirmed," "Challenged," or "Changed"? What does it look like to set boundaries that allow us to say our "Best Yes"? ... Stephanie Higgs is, above all else, a passionate educator. Since graduating with her Master's Degree in Education she has taught pre-K, second grade, and fourth grade; she now works as a gifted educator and differentiation coach, where she supports both students and her fellow teachers in accommodating individual learning needs. In 2021, Stephanie was named the Tennessee Performing Arts Center (TPAC) Teacher of the Year. After 13 years in education, Stephanie is expanding her reach by sharing resources, ideas, and advice for educators around the world on her Instagram page and YouTube channel. Today, Stephanie shares how learning about self-regulation has helped her heal and find more empathy for herself and others. Abbie and Stephanie talk about the classroom through the lens of social worlds. Stephanie explains Morning Meetings, Themed Walks, and Sunshine Phone Calls, and the ways that these allow her to intentionally create the kind of social world she wants. Finally, Abbie and Stephanie discuss what it means to really believe that "clarity is kindness," how we miss out on connection when we let technology control us, and why it feels so important to start learning to "stop glorifying busy." ... Stories Lived. Stories Told. is created, produced & hosted by Abbie VanMeter. Stories Lived. Stories Told. is an initiative of the CMM Institute for Personal and Social Evolution. ... Music for Stories Lived. Stories Told. is created by Rik Spann. Find Rik on YouTube. ... Email me! storieslived.storiestold@gmail.com Follow me on Instagram! @storieslivedstoriestoldpod Subscribe on YouTube! Stories Lived. Stories Told. Check out my website! www.storieslivedstoriestold.com Learn more about the CMM Institute. Learn more about CMM. Learn more about Cosmopolis 2045. Learn more about CosmoKidz. Follow the CosmoTeenz Fellows' work on Instagram. | |||
| Unexpected Paths, "Story-Hearing" & Feeling Known | Stephanie Higgs | Part 1 | 06 Feb 2023 | 00:45:16 | |
How can we celebrate our own individuality (and the individuality of others) by being honest about our needs, finding unique ways to meet them, and saying out loud the things we appreciate about each other? How can we celebrate children's individuality in school settings and beyond? What happens when we learn, not only how to tell our own story, but to hear the stories of others as well? Why does it matter for us to be honest about the things we are struggling with, uncertain of, or just don't know? ... Stephanie Higgs is, above all else, a passionate educator. Since graduating with her Master's Degree in Education she has taught pre-K, second grade, and fourth grade; she now works as a gifted educator and differentiation coach, where she supports both students and her fellow teachers in accommodating individual learning needs. In 2021, Stephanie was named the Tennessee Performing Arts Center (TPAC) Teacher of the Year. After 13 years in education, Stephanie is expanding her reach by sharing resources, ideas, and advice for educators around the world on her Instagram page and YouTube channel. In this conversation, Stephanie shares her passion for her role as a gifted educator and how it wasn't always the path she saw for herself. Abbie and Stephanie discuss differentiation, what it looks like for her to balance educational standards with individual needs, and the value of the support system of teachers that Stephanie collaborates with. Stephanie shares her teacher's perspective on stories. Stephanie and Abbie talk about their shared love of quotes, how "there are years in life that ask questions, and there are years in life that answer questions," and how Stephanie is handling the question-asking kind of year she is in right now. Finally, Stephanie reflects back on the main theme that emerged during this conversation-- feeling known. ... Stories Lived. Stories Told. is created, produced & hosted by Abbie VanMeter. Stories Lived. Stories Told. is an initiative of the CMM Institute for Personal and Social Evolution. ... Music for Stories Lived. Stories Told. is created by Rik Spann. Find Rik on YouTube. ... Email me! storieslived.storiestold@gmail.com Follow me on Instagram! @storieslivedstoriestoldpod Subscribe on YouTube! Stories Lived. Stories Told. Check out my website! www.storieslivedstoriestold.com Learn more about the CMM Institute. Learn more about CMM. Learn more about Cosmopolis 2045. Learn more about CosmoKidz. Follow the CosmoTeenz Fellows' work on Instagram. | |||
| Season Two Trailer | 20 Jan 2023 | 00:02:18 | |
Hi. My name is Abbie, this is Stories Lived. Stories Told. and here’s what I know... Everything in our social world is created through communication—communication being the stories we live, the stories we tell, and all the other stories in between; it's the patterns we find ourselves in, the contexts that affect us, the meaning we make, the questions we ask, and how we listen; it’s the choices we make about how we show up to each other, and the spaces we create in ourselves, our relationships, and our communities. It makes sense then, that the better we are communicating, the better social worlds we can create—social worlds that have more justice, more human dignity, more inclusion and understanding, more creativity, more imagination, and more authenticity and mindfulness. I have a degree in Interpersonal Communication. And I loved studying it in school. And I don’t think you should have to be a communication scholar to get to know everything I got to learn. After all, all of us are in relationship with each other, communicating in one way or another every moment of every day, building the social worlds we live in through our stories and choices. So, I believe all of us deserve to have access to the tools, skills, and language that comes from taking a communication perspective in your life. Each week I invite you to join me in conversation with a guest who is working toward a better social world in their own way. My hope is that through these conversations, we can be educated, empowered, and energized as we find our own paths to a better social world. That you for showing up. Thank you for being curious. Thank you for being a part of this story. And thank you for helping me to welcome in Season 2. I can’t wait to see what emerges! ... Stories Lived. Stories Told. is created, produced & hosted by Abbie VanMeter. Stories Lived. Stories Told. is an initiative of the CMM Institute for Personal and Social Evolution. ... Email me! storieslived.storiestold@gmail.com Follow me on Instagram! @storieslivedstoriestoldpod Subscribe on YouTube! Stories Lived. Stories Told. Check out the Complete Collection of Season 1 Episodes here! Learn more about the CMM Institute. Learn more about CMM. Learn more about Cosmopolis 2045. Learn more about CosmoKidz. Follow the CosmoTeenz Fellows' work on Instagram. | |||
| Looking for Untold Stories, Finding the Meaning & Being the Author of Your Own Story | 23 Dec 2022 | 00:26:53 | |
How do we balance looking back, looking forward, and staying present in our stories? How do the stories we tell shape us? But more importantly, how do the stories that we DO NOT tell also shape us? How can we have more empathy and compassion for others by reminding ourselves that we all have Untold Stories? ... In this final Minisode of Season 1, Abbie talks about the complex place that she (and many of us) are in of reflecting on our pasts, asking ourselves "what is next?", and still trying to stay present for the moment we are in all at the same time. Abbie explores stories as the "smallest common denominator" of our lives--the best way to break down our lives into smaller pieces so we can better examine and understand them. Also, Abbie shares some examples from her own life of how she is learning to navigate her own Untold Stories, and at the same time, remember that others have their own Untold Stories, too. She acknowledges that some Untold Stories will never be told, and what it looks like to be at peace with that; she also talks about the flip side of that, which is "How do we create a safe space for ourselves and others to tell those Untold Stories?" Finally, Abbie discusses our creative relationship with meaning and the "Intent vs. Impact" conversation. Today, our Next Turn is to keep our eyes peeled for the Untold Stories in our social worlds, to remember our own agency in writing our story, and to find ways to meet people where they are at. Also, Share, Rate, and Review the show on Spotify and Apple Podcasts. ... Stories Lived. Stories Told. is created, produced & hosted by Abbie VanMeter. Stories Lived. Stories Told. is an initiative of the CMM Institute for Personal and Social Evolution. Music for Stories Lived. Stories Told. is created by Liv Hukkleberg. ... Explore all things Stories Lived. Stories Told. Email me! storieslived.storiestold@gmail.com Follow me on Instagram. Subscribe on YouTube. Check out my website. Learn more about the CMM Institute. Learn more about CMM. Learn more about Cosmopolis 2045. Learn more about CosmoKidz. Learn more about the CosmoTeenz Fellows' work on Instagram. | |||
| Challenging Systems, Empowering Youth & Creating a Secure Society | Aline Mugisho | Part 2 | 08 Dec 2022 | 00:46:10 | |
How does fulfilling basic needs through sustainable agriculture also create space for economic freedom, social justice, and personal dignity in Africa? How is Aline’s work building bridges—for the future and for right now? What does it do for a society to nurture young people, open itself up to innovation, and reject the idea of a “single story”? ... Aline Mugisho is the Executive Manager of the Innovative Youth in Agriculture Project at the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA). She has a bachelor's in Journalism and Communication, a master's in Forced Migration Studies, and is currently working on her doctorate at the Willy Brandt School of Public Policy at the University of Erfurt. Equally as important, is her role as a daughter, sister, mother, and mentor. From her time as a journalist until now, Aline has been a fearless advocate for youth, women, and those who have been displaced from their homes. Today, Aline and Abbie continue their conversation about Aline’s work in sustainable agriculture. Aline educates Abbie about the needs of people in her community and how improved agriculture, production, and access are at the heart of it. Describing the effects of a society that is “as vulnerable as its food,” Aline makes the case for a new job system and a new economic force. Aline shares her approach to building relationships, which involves “not putting ranks between people” and creating “an environment where [people] can tell their side of the story.” Also, Aline shares about the people she serves, expresses her idea of a better social world, and Abbie and Aline discuss “Next Turns.” ... Learn more about Aline and her work at IITA here: https://www.iita.org/iita-staff/aline-mugisho/ ... Stories Lived. Stories Told. is created, produced & hosted by Abbie VanMeter. Stories Lived. Stories Told. is an initiative of the CMM Institute for Personal and Social Evolution. Music for Stories Lived. Stories Told. is created by Liv Hukkleberg. ... Explore all things Stories Lived. Stories Told. Email me! storieslived.storiestold@gmail.com Follow me on Instagram. Subscribe on YouTube. Check out my website. Learn more about the CMM Institute. Learn more about CMM. Learn more about Cosmopolis 2045. Learn more about CosmoKidz. Learn more about the CosmoTeenz Fellows' work on Instagram. | |||
| Finding Peace in Our Internal Worlds | Aline Mugisho | Part 1 | 02 Dec 2022 | 00:48:42 | |
***Content Warning: Mentions of Sexual Violence*** ... How do we understand the parts of our story that we didn't have control over? How do we heal our communities and ourselves by empowering others? How do we create the space for innovation when our society is built on injustice and inequality? ... Aline Mugisho is the Executive Manager of the Innovative Youth in Agriculture Project at the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA). She has a bachelor's in Journalism and Communication, a master's in Forced Migration Studies, and is currently working on her doctorate at the Willy Brandt School of Public Policy at the University of Erfurt. Equally as important, is her role as a daughter, sister, mother, and mentor. From her time as a journalist until now, Aline has been a fearless advocate for youth, women, and those who have been displaced from their homes. Today, Aline shares some of the stories that shaped her, including her experience fleeing the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) during the Civil War and the way it shaped her, the impact of growing up in a culture that is especially dangerous and disempowering for women, and the power of seeing strength, resilience, and dignity demonstrated in the most unexpected ways. Additionally, Abbie and Aline discuss the importance of making time for quiet reflection in a noisy world, how the small moments add up to create larger narratives that we internalize, and what Aline means when she says that "food in America is overprocessed, but food in Africa is underprocessed." Join us next week for part two of this conversation, where Aline and Abbie further discuss how sustainable agriculture is at the core of the fight for economic success, social justice, and personal dignity; what Aline has learned from the people she serves; and what those of us who are on the outside of her story should know. ... Learn more about Aline and her work at IITA here: https://www.iita.org/iita-staff/aline-mugisho/ ... Stories Lived. Stories Told. is created, produced & hosted by Abbie VanMeter. Stories Lived. Stories Told. is an initiative of the CMM Institute for Personal and Social Evolution. Music for Stories Lived. Stories Told. is created by Liv Hukkleberg. ... Explore all things Stories Lived. Stories Told. Email me! storieslived.storiestold@gmail.com Follow me on Instagram. Subscribe on YouTube. Check out my website. Learn more about the CMM Institute. Learn more about CMM. Learn more about Cosmopolis 2045. Learn more about CosmoKidz. Learn more about the CosmoTeenz Fellows' work on Instagram. | |||
| Changing the Moment in the Moment & Seeking Clarity Over Certainty | John Burnham | Part 2 | 18 Nov 2022 | 00:44:31 | |
***Content Warning: Mentions of Sexual Abuse*** ... How can you change the moment in the moment? We know what we don’t want to be…. but what do we want to be? What else can you listen for? ... John shares his practice for unfreezing yourself when someone kills your imagination; the things he has learned from those he works with, including the resoluteness of the human spirit and experiencing real awe; and how he learned to be less certain and seek clarity instead. Abbie and John discuss making therapy available to everyone, making the kind of therapy the client wants, and making up words (because all words are made up anyway) to better reflect our experiences. Finally, John explains finding a willingness to understand and being deliberate in every interaction and what it means to “Listen to Speak” and “Speak to Listen.” ... Stories Lived. Stories Told. is created, produced & hosted by Abbie VanMeter. Stories Lived. Stories Told. is an initiative of the CMM Institute for Personal and Social Evolution. Music for Stories Lived. Stories Told. is created by Liv Hukkleberg. ... Explore all things Stories Lived. Stories Told. Email me! storieslived.storiestold@gmail.com Follow me on Instagram. Subscribe on YouTube. Check out my website. Learn more about the CMM Institute. Learn more about CMM. Learn more about Cosmopolis 2045. Learn more about CosmoKidz. Learn more about the CosmoTeenz Fellows' work on Instagram. | |||
| Turning Off Autopilot, Bringing Awareness & Getting Present to Communication | 04 Nov 2022 | 00:17:21 | |
What does it mean to be aware of our communication? How do we become actively engaged? Can we learn to recognize, acknowledge, note, and be present to our communication in a gentle and neutral way? How do we control our patterns instead of the other way around? What are we swimming in? ... Abbie discusses how it might be easier to go on autopilot when it comes to how we communicate, but the way to create a better social world is through awareness; when we start to bring awareness to our communication, it has to be a nonjudgmental awareness; and how we can look at communication, instead of through it by zooming out and taking a new perspective. Abbie explores the first step to making new choices (remember that you have a choice in the first place), the way to control our patterns through bringing awareness to them, and the way that being aware and present one moment at a time helps us to be more resilient in the face of life’s complexities. ... Stories Lived. Stories Told. is created, produced & hosted by Abbie VanMeter. Stories Lived. Stories Told. is an initiative of the CMM Institute for Personal and Social Evolution. Music for Stories Lived. Stories Told. is created by Liv Hukkleberg. ... Explore all things Stories Lived. Stories Told. Email me! storieslived.storiestold@gmail.com Follow me on Instagram. Subscribe on YouTube. Check out my website. Learn more about the CMM Institute. Learn more about CMM. Learn more about Cosmopolis 2045. Learn more about CosmoKidz. Learn more about the CosmoTeenz Fellows' work on Instagram. | |||
| Unbecoming, Not Knowing & Welcoming In The Unexpected | John Burnham | Part 1 | 28 Oct 2022 | 01:04:23 | |
Why are the hardest stories to tell the ones we most need to hear? How do we balance the stories that others tell about us vs. the stories we tell about ourselves? When is blame a resource? When is hope a problem? What does it mean to take a "not knowing position?" ... Today, John shares when he first became a storyteller and why it is important to take the risk of sharing your real, not-so-perfect story so that others feel safe to do the same. Abbie and John discuss learning to appreciate the process of "unbecoming" and celebrating (not judging) others for their experiences and growth; using John's PPRR (Problems, Potential, Resources, and Restraints) to understand the many many layers of everything we do. Finally, Abbie and John explore the wonders of Systemic Therapy, welcoming in the unexpected, good questions, and role-playing interactions. ... Stories Lived. Stories Told. is created, produced & hosted by Abbie VanMeter. Stories Lived. Stories Told. is an initiative of the CMM Institute for Personal and Social Evolution. Music for Stories Lived. Stories Told. is created by Liv Hukkleberg. ... Explore all things Stories Lived. Stories Told. Email me! storieslived.storiestold@gmail.com Follow me on Instagram. Subscribe on YouTube. Check out my website. Learn more about the CMM Institute. Learn more about CMM. Learn more about Cosmopolis 2045. Learn more about CosmoKidz. Learn more about the CosmoTeenz Fellows' work on Instagram. | |||
| What Do You Mean? Recognizing & Reframing How We Create Meaning | 14 Oct 2022 | 00:23:24 | |
What does it mean that we "create meaning?" How can we reframe? ... Abbie explains trying out different meanings like trying on a new pair of glasses; bringing attached meaning into the light by saying it out loud and what it can look like to bring others into the conversation and how we can be empowered to do it; and shares one more example for making meaning, managing meaning, and coordinating meaning. ... Stories Lived. Stories Told. is created, produced & hosted by Abbie VanMeter. Stories Lived. Stories Told. is an initiative of the CMM Institute for Personal and Social Evolution. ... Email me! storieslived.storiestold@gmail.com Follow me on Instagram Subscribe on YouTube Check out my website Learn more about the CMM Institute. Learn more about CMM. Learn more about Cosmopolis 2045. Learn more about CosmoKidz. Follow the CosmoTeenz Fellows' work on Instagram. | |||
| On Designing Complex Conversations with Celiane Camargo-Borges | Ep. 140 | 25 Jun 2025 | 01:05:36 | |
How do we understand the complexity of who we are and who we are becoming? … Today, Abbie and Celiane use social construction as a framework to explore forming futures, intent v. impact, "good" design, and sustainability transitions. ... Celiane Camargo-Borges is an intercultural explorer, researcher, and facilitator with a passion for fostering collaboration across diverse communities. Born and raised in Brazil, she embarked on a global journey of learning and discovery, moving to England as a young adult to study the language. From there, her curiosity led her to the USA for her Ph.D., followed by experiences in Taiwan, Singapore, and finally, the Netherlands. These global experiences have shaped her expertise in working with international teams and developing social impact projects in communities and organizations. She operates at the intersection of psychology, design thinking, imagineering, social innovation, and lifelong learning. Celiane is a faculty member at Breda University of Applied Sciences and a consultant at DesigningConversations.us, where she helps organizations and communities navigate complex challenges through meaningful dialogue and creative methodologies. She holds a Ph.D. from the University of São Paulo, Brazil, in collaboration with the University of New Hampshire, USA. She facilitates workshops using active methodologies that foster dialogic interaction and collaboration. As a researcher, she engages in participatory inquiry, working with approaches such as action research, arts-based research, narrative research, and future-forming research. Her work is driven by a commitment to co-creating meaningful change through conversation, creativity, and collective action. Along with fellow alum of the podcast, Sheila McNamee, she is the co-author of Design Thinking and Social Construction: A Practical Guide to Innovation in Research. ... Stories Lived. Stories Told. is created, produced & hosted by Abbie VanMeter. | |||
| Deep Listening: The Power Of Good Listening To Create Deeper Connections | 07 Oct 2022 | 00:21:54 | |
Why does it matter how we show up as listeners in conversation? What does it mean to create a space for deeper connection? How can we "listen to others the way that we want to be listened to?" ... Abbie discusses seeing our communication as a dialogue, instead of a monologue; becoming conscious of the subconscious with Active Listening; and moving from hearing to listening, listening to Active Listening, and Active Listening to Deep Listening. ... Stories Lived. Stories Told. is created, produced & hosted by Abbie VanMeter. Stories Lived. Stories Told. is an initiative of the CMM Institute for Personal and Social Evolution. Music for Stories Lived. Stories Told. is created by Liv Hukkleberg. ... Explore all things Stories Lived. Stories Told. Email me! storieslived.storiestold@gmail.com Follow me on Instagram. Subscribe on YouTube. Check out my website. Learn more about the CMM Institute. Learn more about CMM. Learn more about Cosmopolis 2045. Learn more about CosmoKidz. Learn more about the CosmoTeenz Fellows' work on Instagram. | |||
| Where Do We Start With Climate Action? | Miriam Kashia | 30 Sep 2022 | 01:04:13 | |
Why does it matter how we talk about climate action? How does better language inspire better action? ... Today, Miriam shares her story, including all the challenges that led her to be where (and who) she is now. Abbie and Miriam discuss the lessons, people, and experiences that transformed Miriam from a concerned citizen to a "climate action warrior" and how Miriam is using her platform to educate and empower us with both. Miriam shares the quote, "We will not give into the fear because it is fear that fuels the darkness" and how she is striving to take on daunting issues with love, truth, and justice. Finally, Abbie and Miriam explore the roles, relationships, and rest that help Miriam stay whole and balanced; Miriam's advice for activists and how her perspective has changed; and what it looks like to lean into the chaos that comes when we start to change our social worlds. ... Stories Lived. Stories Told. is created, produced & hosted by Abbie VanMeter. Stories Lived. Stories Told. is an initiative of the CMM Institute for Personal and Social Evolution. Music for Stories Lived. Stories Told. is created by Liv Hukkleberg. ... Explore all things Stories Lived. Stories Told. Email me! storieslived.storiestold@gmail.com Follow me on Instagram. Subscribe on YouTube. Check out my website. Learn more about the CMM Institute. Learn more about CMM. Learn more about Cosmopolis 2045. Learn more about CosmoKidz. Learn more about the CosmoTeenz Fellows' work on Instagram. | |||
| How To Change Your Patterns | 16 Sep 2022 | 00:12:17 | |
What are we creating? What do we want to create? How can we learn to become resilient and flexible, physically, mentally, and emotionally? ... Today, Abbie discusses our CMM Roadmap, considering what else we need to get where we are going. Abbie explores the challenge of beginning to embody CMM and change your patterns, shining light into the darkness of both our healthy and unhealthy patterns, and learning to be gentle with yourself when changing patterns. ... Stories Lived. Stories Told. is created, produced & hosted by Abbie VanMeter. Stories Lived. Stories Told. is an initiative of the CMM Institute for Personal and Social Evolution. Music for Stories Lived. Stories Told. is created by Liv Hukkleberg. ... Explore all things Stories Lived. Stories Told. Email me! storieslived.storiestold@gmail.com Follow me on Instagram. Subscribe on YouTube. Check out my website. Learn more about the CMM Institute. Learn more about CMM. Learn more about Cosmopolis 2045. Learn more about CosmoKidz. Learn more about the CosmoTeenz Fellows' work on Instagram. | |||
| Communicate Better with Genuine Curiosity | 09 Sep 2022 | 00:12:41 | |
Why does it matter that our curiosity is genuine?How can you look for moments where others approach you with Genuine Curiosity and find opportunities for you to do the same?...Abbie discusses Genuine Curiosity (and how it fits in the process of moving from Imagination to Embodied Realism); Genuine Curiosity as an approach to our relationships, emotions, experiences, and ideas; and using the LUUUUTT model to understand the role of Genuine Curiosity in the practice of CMM. ... Stories Lived. Stories Told. is created, produced & hosted by Abbie VanMeter. Stories Lived. Stories Told. is an initiative of the CMM Institute for Personal and Social Evolution. Music for Stories Lived. Stories Told. is created by Liv Hukkleberg. ... Explore all things Stories Lived. Stories Told. Email me! storieslived.storiestold@gmail.com Follow me on Instagram. Subscribe on YouTube. Check out my website. Learn more about the CMM Institute. Learn more about CMM. Learn more about Cosmopolis 2045. Learn more about CosmoKidz. Learn more about the CosmoTeenz Fellows' work on Instagram. | |||
| How Do We See People Through Their Patterns? | Alex Jagiello | 26 Aug 2022 | 00:42:01 | |
Why is it important to seek out spaces that encourage learning and critical thinking? What are imagination, genuine inquiry, and embodied realism? And why do we need them? How can you cultivate interactions that are meaningful, intelligent, loving, and connected? ... Today, Alex Jagiello shares the story that she is currently telling about herself. Abbie and Alex discuss the relationship between technology, education, and communication as a potential force for good. Alex shares her experience as a CMM Institute Fellow, including the impact of ideas like "felt trust" and the development of MILC. ... Stories Lived. Stories Told. is created, produced & hosted by Abbie VanMeter. Stories Lived. Stories Told. is an initiative of the CMM Institute for Personal and Social Evolution. Music for Stories Lived. Stories Told. is created by Liv Hukkleberg. ... Explore all things Stories Lived. Stories Told. Email me! storieslived.storiestold@gmail.com Follow me on Instagram. Subscribe on YouTube. Check out my website. Learn more about the CMM Institute. Learn more about CMM. Learn more about Cosmopolis 2045. Learn more about CosmoKidz. Learn more about the CosmoTeenz Fellows' work on Instagram. | |||
| Imagining a Future Society with Cosmopolis 2045 | 19 Aug 2022 | 00:19:14 | |
What is the Cosmopolis 2045 project? And how did it start? How can we pay attention to the "invisible in-between" by re-evaluating whether or not our language is achieving our goals? What does it mean to engage and both personal and social evolution? ... Today, Abbie discusses the importance of "cosmopolitan communication" and how we can be profoundly open to and respectful of others without giving up our own beliefs. Abbie explains how before we can embody CMM, we first have to imagine what that looks like. ... Check out the Cosmopolis 2045 website here. ... Stories Lived. Stories Told. is created, produced & hosted by Abbie VanMeter. Stories Lived. Stories Told. is an initiative of the CMM Institute for Personal and Social Evolution. Music for Stories Lived. Stories Told. is created by Liv Hukkleberg. ... Explore all things Stories Lived. Stories Told. Email me! storieslived.storiestold@gmail.com Follow me on Instagram. Subscribe on YouTube. Check out my website. Learn more about the CMM Institute. Learn more about CMM. Learn more about Cosmopolis 2045. Learn more about CosmoKidz. Learn more about the CosmoTeenz Fellows' work on Instagram. | |||
| Mindful Communication Practices | 05 Aug 2022 | 00:17:00 | |
What is mindfulness? How can mindfulness help us in our communication? ... Today, Abbie discusses why we need mindfulness to create better social worlds, how collaboration in creating a space encourages storytelling and vulnerability, and what it can mean to bring mindfulness to even the smallest of moments. ... Find Part 1 with Sara here. Find Part 2 with Sara here. ... Stories Lived. Stories Told. is created, produced & hosted by Abbie VanMeter. Stories Lived. Stories Told. is an initiative of the CMM Institute for Personal and Social Evolution. Music for Stories Lived. Stories Told. is created by Liv Hukkleberg. ... Explore all things Stories Lived. Stories Told. Email me! storieslived.storiestold@gmail.com Follow me on Instagram. Subscribe on YouTube. Check out my website. Learn more about the CMM Institute. Learn more about CMM. Learn more about Cosmopolis 2045. Learn more about CosmoKidz. Learn more about the CosmoTeenz Fellows' work on Instagram. | |||
| Deconstructing and Reconstructing | Sara Hayden | Part 2 | 29 Jul 2022 | 00:39:17 | |
What does it mean for us to be invited into sacred spaces? What do we believe? And what kind of life do we live as a result? How can we ask thoughtful questions that give people the space to think more deeply and connect them back to themselves? How can we lean into the discomfort of deconstructing and reconstructing what we think that we know and believe? How can we acknowledge our ever changing contexts and become more conscious of the way we live? ... Sara shares her story of becoming a minister. Abbie and Sara discuss the difference between chasing a dream that is outside yourself and letting one emerge that already lives inside you. Abbie shares the story of how she came into the world of Interpersonal Communication. Abbie and Sara consider the saying, "If you don't have anything nice to say, don't say anything at all," whether or not "niceness" is still the measure we want to use, and reconceptualizing the "value" we add to conversations and knowing when to listen and when to stand up for yourself. Sara shares the stories she wants to hear more of and why we need to be intentional about seeking out stories of delight. ... Check out Sara's podcast here! ... Stories Lived. Stories Told. is created, produced & hosted by Abbie VanMeter. Stories Lived. Stories Told. is an initiative of the CMM Institute for Personal and Social Evolution. Music for Stories Lived. Stories Told. is created by Liv Hukkleberg. ... Explore all things Stories Lived. Stories Told. Email me! storieslived.storiestold@gmail.com Follow me on Instagram. Subscribe on YouTube. Check out my website. Learn more about the CMM Institute. Learn more about CMM. Learn more about Cosmopolis 2045. Learn more about CosmoKidz. Learn more about the CosmoTeenz Fellows' work on Instagram. | |||
| Peace And Safety In Our Communities | Sara Hayden | Part 1 | 28 Jul 2022 | 00:51:00 | |
How do we define ourselves in our communities? How does this build empathy? How do we work together to create a pool of shared meaning? How do the little moments shape us just as much as the big moments? How can we better engage with bifurcation points and be intentional about how we show up in the little moments? ... Today, Reverend Sara Hayden shares the story she tells about herself and the story that others tell about her. Abbie and Sara discuss the overcorrection that happened between telling women that they can't do things to telling women they can "have it all" and why we need to find peace in believing that we are enough. Sara teaches Abbie about the role of emergent strategy in helping us to meet each other where we are at. Finally, Abbie and Sara explore re-examining the language we use, recognizing the power in naming things, and being brave and vulnerable in creating the space for change. ... Check out Sara's podcast here! ... Stories Lived. Stories Told. is created, produced & hosted by Abbie VanMeter. Stories Lived. Stories Told. is an initiative of the CMM Institute for Personal and Social Evolution. Music for Stories Lived. Stories Told. is created by Liv Hukkleberg. ... Explore all things Stories Lived. Stories Told. Email me! storieslived.storiestold@gmail.com Follow me on Instagram. Subscribe on YouTube. Check out my website. Learn more about the CMM Institute. Learn more about CMM. Learn more about Cosmopolis 2045. Learn more about CosmoKidz. Learn more about the CosmoTeenz Fellows' work on Instagram. | |||
| Moving From Theory To Practice And Beyond: The Evolution Of CMM | 22 Jul 2022 | 00:18:09 | |
What is CMM to you? What does your "better social world" look like? How does CMM help you get there? ... In this episode Abbie explores one way of understanding how CMM has evolved over the years from an Interpretive Theory, to a Critical Theory, to a Practical Theory, and beyond. Abbie talks about CMM now in our lives as something that can transform us and something we can embody in our own lives. Abbie offers a potential "next phase" for CMM as a Connective Practice because it connects to others and to ourselves. ... The Evolution of CMM 1. Interpretive Theory 2. Critical Theory 3. Practical Theory 4. Spiritual Practice ... Listen to Ep. 4 (LUUUUTT Model) here. Watch this 2011 Interview with Kim and Barnett here. ... Stories Lived. Stories Told. is created, produced & hosted by Abbie VanMeter. Stories Lived. Stories Told. is an initiative of the CMM Institute for Personal and Social Evolution. Music for Stories Lived. Stories Told. is created by Liv Hukkleberg. ... Explore all things Stories Lived. Stories Told. Email me! storieslived.storiestold@gmail.com Follow me on Instagram. Subscribe on YouTube. Check out my website. Learn more about the CMM Institute. Learn more about CMM. Learn more about Cosmopolis 2045. Learn more about CosmoKidz. Learn more about the CosmoTeenz Fellows' work on Instagram. | |||
| On Being Polyvagal-Informed with Evelien van den Kerkhof and Martie van der Reijden | Ep. 139 | 11 Jun 2025 | 00:54:04 | |
What changes when you begin to recognize, name, and move through your icy blue, fiery orange, and calm green areas? ... Martie van der Reijden and Evelien van den Kerkhof are both Orthopedagogue Generalist / child and youth therapist and EMDR Europe Practitioners. They have been working together for years in their independent practice in Voorschoten (the Netherlands) and have a lot of experience in treating children, adolescents and their families with attachment issues and trauma. They work family-oriented and integrate body-oriented work into the treatment. During their careers, they have specialized in various positions within child and youth psychiatry in the field of trauma, attachment and families. In addition to the treatment practice, Evelien and Martie develop therapy material under the name My World and offer training to professionals, based on the polyvagal theory of Stephen Porges. Listeners of Stories Lived. Stories Told. receive a 10% discount on English Language materials from My World using the code: 'myworldcmm' at https://mijnwereldintherapie.nl/my-world-polyvagal-theory/ Today, Abbie, Evelien, and Martie explore ‘My World’ as a polyvagal-informed, body-orientated tool for learning to listen to and communicate with our bodies. ... Stories Lived. Stories Told. is created, produced & hosted by Abbie VanMeter. | |||
| Creating Better Social Worlds Through Perspective, Practices & Goals | 08 Jul 2022 | 00:11:10 | |
What is the perspective Coordinated Management of Meaning (CMM) offers us? What are the practices that we can use to embody CMM? What are the goals of CMM that influence our choices? ... Today, Abbie discusses three facets of Coordinated Management of Meaning (CMM): perspective, practices, and goals. Abbie explores what changes when we focus on the journey instead of the destination, how we can embrace what it means to be "curious participants," and why it matters that we ask ourselves: "what should we do to make a better social world?" ... Coordinated Management of Meaning (CMM) is a communication theory that claims: "persons-in-conversation co-construct their own social realities, and are simultaneously shaped by the worlds they create." As "persons-in-conversation" we coordinate with others to create patterns of communication; it is up to us to engage intentionally with our stories and with others to create better social worlds. ... Stories Lived. Stories Told. is created, produced & hosted by Abbie VanMeter. Stories Lived. Stories Told. is an initiative of the CMM Institute for Personal and Social Evolution. Music for Stories Lived. Stories Told. is created by Liv Hukkleberg. ... Explore all things Stories Lived. Stories Told. Email me! storieslived.storiestold@gmail.com Follow me on Instagram. Subscribe on YouTube. Check out my website. Learn more about the CMM Institute. Learn more about CMM. Learn more about Cosmopolis 2045. Learn more about CosmoKidz. Learn more about the CosmoTeenz Fellows' work on Instagram. | |||
| How Do We Set The Next Generation Up For Success? | CosmoKidz Teachers Amy, Nicole & Katrina | 01 Jul 2022 | 00:47:06 | |
What does it look like to make that which is "unseen" into that which is "seen"? How can we teach kids that what they say and how they feel matters? How do we center kids' voices? ... In this conversation, Abbie is joined by CosmoKidz teachers Amy, Nicole, and Katrina to discuss the ways that using CMM in the classroom has transformed their experiences and thinking. Amy, Nicole, and Katrina share their stories and how they define themselves by their roles as teachers and mothers. Abbie, Katrina, Nicole, and Amy explore what it is like to teach CosmoKidz, how it changes the way they engage with students, and how their kids have surprised them in the ways they are able to interact with each other when given the right tools and language. Finally, Amy, Nicole, and Katrina explain how kids learn empathy, what it means to "SOAR," and the importance of "listening to understand." Learn more about CosmoKidz here. ... Stories Lived. Stories Told. is created, produced & hosted by Abbie VanMeter. Stories Lived. Stories Told. is an initiative of the CMM Institute for Personal and Social Evolution. ... Music for Stories Lived. Stories Told. is created by Liz Hukkleberg. ... Explore all things Stories Lived. Stories Told. Email me! storieslived.storiestold@gmail.com Follow me on Instagram. Subscribe on YouTube. Check out my website. Learn more about the CMM Institute. Learn more about CMM. Learn more about Cosmopolis 2045. Learn more about CosmoKidz. Learn more about the CosmoTeenz Fellows' work on Instagram. | |||
| Social Emotional Learning for Kids Using CosmoKidz | 23 Jun 2022 | 00:12:02 | |
What is CosmoKidz? And what is the goal? ... Today, Abbie explores CosmoKidz-- a social-emotional learning program created by the CMM Insitute, designed to teach children empathy and healthy communication skills. Abbie talks about how CosmoKidz was developed through a collaborative co-construction process involving kids; the value in making the implicit explicit by teaching kids "soft skills" like empathy and communication; and why it is important for kids to learn these skills, language, and tools while they are young (because kids with emotional intelligence grow into adults with emotional intelligence). ... Stories Lived. Stories Told. is created, produced & hosted by Abbie VanMeter. Stories Lived. Stories Told. is an initiative of the CMM Institute for Personal and Social Evolution. Music for Stories Lived. Stories Told. is created by Liv Hukkleberg. ... Explore all things Stories Lived. Stories Told. Email me! storieslived.storiestold@gmail.com Follow me on Instagram. Subscribe on YouTube. Check out my website. Learn more about the CMM Institute. Learn more about CMM. Learn more about Cosmopolis 2045. Learn more about CosmoKidz. Learn more about the CosmoTeenz Fellows' work on Instagram. | |||